


Requisite of Silence

by balimaria



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergence, Character Study, Emotional Outbursts, Established Revalink, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Sorry Zelda, Warnings May Change, Zelda is Big Dumb (TM), Zelink is Unrequited, all aboard the pain train, but not by a lot
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-18
Updated: 2019-07-05
Packaged: 2020-05-13 18:42:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 2,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19256962
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/balimaria/pseuds/balimaria
Summary: It was unexpected. She hadn't known at the time. But when her father, King Rhoam, had spoken those words- "You are not permitted to speak in the presence of the princess," -Any chance she had of gaining the friendship of her knight was destroyed.ON HIATUS UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE





	1. Commands

"And stop following me!"

Zelda spat out the last four words like poison. They had been just under her tounge for weeks now, and it was good to finally get it out. She gave her knight a final glare, and saw the carefully concealed confusion lying behind his stoic face. He didn't understand. Of course he didn't. Link was just doing his job. She knew it wasn't fair to use him as her outlet, but when he was always _watching_ and _following_ her and always being _so insufferably silent-_

Well, that last part was mostly the King's orders. 'You are not permitted to speak in the presence of the princess,' he had said to him, 'as to not taint her sacred prayers.'  
It was stupid. She had complained to it immediately, but it had gone unheard. Of course it had. If anyone ever listened to her- if anyone ever spoke back- then she wouldnt be trapped in this torturous limbo of talking into the void.  
She huffed, and turned away from Link. What could she really do? Nothing. 

Zelda clambered onto her horse and spurred it into a gallop. After a few moments she heard the clopping of Link's horse behind her. But she didn't look back. What point would there be in doing so? All she would see was her blank-faced knight, watching her with that intelligent glint in his eyes. It always felt like he was reading her mind, which in turn always made her frustrated, because she could never read his back...  
...She spurred her horse on faster.

 

***

 

Her father had ordered the Champions to have yet another meeting. At this point there was going to be one daily, a trend which Zelda desperately hoped would not stay consistent.  
She frowned down at her feet as they click-clacked against the marble of the castle corridor. The meetings were pointless. A lot of things her farther ordered were pointless.

She stopped abruptly as she arrived at the window that looked into the conference room. The four Champions already sat inside, along with Link.  
She couldn't actually hear anything through the thick pane of glass, but she could see Link chatting amicably with Revali. He looked more relaxed than he had ever been around her as he made wide gestures and stabbing motions to compliment whatever he was talking about. Revali watched him in amusement, eyebrows perked and wings on his hips. He opened his beak and made some snarky comment or another, but she could see the hint of a smile pulling at his face. And... perhaps if she looked close, one on Link's too.  
Zelda felt a familiar pulse of jealousy in her heart, but she quelled it.  
_He's happier like this._  
She pressed her lips into a thin line.  
_And yet... It would still be nice to be friends._

She scolded herself. _Stop fawning,_ she thought. _You have a meeting to get to._  
Without further hesitation, she pulled open the door.  
The heads of the Champions all turned to look at her. She managed to catch the tail end of the last of Link's word before his mouth, like the door behind her, snapped shut.


	2. Urbosa

The meeting went as expected, of course. The Champions spoke of plans and prophecies and Sheikah tech, but they were no closer to having an actual way to ensure the Calamity's defeat, or unlocking her sealing powers as they were the day before. 

Link had stood behind her, silent and stoic, as they spoke, giving nods or shakes of the head as his only feedback to the conversation. She tried to ignore him, but it was rather difficult when the other Champions kept shooting concerned glances at both Link and herself.  
It had ended awkwardly, as it always did. She sat, watching from her chair, as Mipha, Revali, and Daruk filed out the door, and in one case barely fitting through.  
She waited for Urbosa to follow, but it never happened. The Gerudo Champion sat in the chair opposite her, giving Zelda that look she always gave when she was doing something dumb.

She sighed, and started fiddling with the hem of her sleeve. " Yes, Urbosa?" She finally questioned.  
The Gerudo gave a slight smile and looked to Link. "I think this is a conversation for the Princess's ears only, Champion."  
Link nodded and exited the room without hesitation. Zelda watched through the window as he stationed himself in the corridor, as loyal as ever.  
Her attention was brought back to Urbosa as the Champion spoke. "Tell me what's on your mind, Princess."

Zelda hesitated. Urbosa would never force her to say anything, and yet...  
"It's Link," she said.  
Urbosa nodded. "Go on."  
And just like that the whole story came spilling out of her. "I hate it when he keeps acting like he's nothing more than my personal dog! I don't want him to listen to everything I say without complaint! If only, just once, he would stop listening to whatever garbage orders come out of my father's mouth and just _talk to me!"_  
She took a deep breath, and tried to quell the tears pricking at her eyes. "Just once," she continued. "So I'd know he thinks of me as anything more than who he was assigned to."  
Urbosa nodded once more, and reached out to place a hand on Zelda's. "Do not fret, Princess." She murmered. Then she smiled. "Talk to him. For real this time, no more of this silent staring-through-windows."  
Zelda felt heat rise in her face as she realized the Gerudo Champion had seen her. Nonetheless, she responded. "What point would there be? He refuses to speak one word to me, no matter if I being him to the loneliest corners of Hebra." The tears were threatening to spill over at this point. She swiped and arm across her eyes, then continued. "Tell me, then. What good would it do?"

Urbosa stood and walked around the table until she was standing right next to Zelda."Little bird," she began, crouching down. "It does all the good in the world."  
Zelda narrowed her eyes. "And how might that be?"  
Urbosa gave a little laugh. "By letting _him_ know that _you_ think of him as anything more than a punching bag!"  
Zelda's breath hitched. "I do not-!"  
Urbosa cut her off. "You might as well. Your own silence is just as bad as his."  
The Gerudo patted her on the back and stood. "Go now, then. Find a time and a place. Speak to him as you wish he would to you."  
Then Urbosa walked out the door, and was gone.


	3. Determination

Zelda thought about what Urbosa had said for the majority of the night, barely sleeping at all. She wondered, guilt pulsing through her stomach, if Link really did hate her.  
_Stop it. That's not what Urbosa was saying._  
But she couldn't help it. Her mind betrayed her with thoughts of _hatred_ and _insufferable_ and _forced into this._ Link had never asked for the job of protecting her, and if he refused to communicate with her, then how would ever know if he cared for her at all? Even as just friends?  
_...I can never face him like this._  
So what could she do?  
_Nothing._  
_Stop that._  
_Am I wrong?_  
_..._

This mental back-and-forth continued for the next hour or so. Each minute deciding on what she could do, and the next seeing how it could go absymally wrong. She sighed heavily.  
_Stuck in limbo again._

 _That_ shook her out of it.  
_No. I refuse to let that happen._  
With a determined grunt, she threw off her blankets and began pulling on her clothes. _If there is one thing I have the chance to take power over, then I am going to take it._  
Once she had shoved on the last piece of one of her more casual outfits, she turned to face the door. After a deep breath- a sorry attempt to soothe herself- the grasped the knob, turned it, and stepped outside.  
_

 

The corridors of Hyrule Castle were mostly empty at this time, which was a relief. She didn't need people staring at her when she was already feeling enough anxiety as is. Luckily, there was only the occasional guard to watch her. She knew from their training eyes that they disapproved of her wandering the castle so early on her own, but she _was_ going to search for Link, so how bad was it really?  
After a moment's thought, she decided to search the knight's quarters first. Hopefully he would be there instead of sitting somewhere in the middle of the forest where nothing could find him, as she had discovered he liked to do at night.  
_I really do hope he's not outside... or else it's a night of snooping around guards for me..._

Feeling thankful that she'd had the castle layout memorized for years now (even the hidden passages), she made her way swiftly to the knight's quarters. This is where it got a bit more difficult. She couldn't very well go peeking into people's private rooms searching for Link.  
The clanking of shifting armor sounding from the end of hall caught her attention. Giving herself a private smile, she walked over to the guard.  
He bowed. "Princess."  
Zelda wasted no time. "Do you know where Link might be?"  
With another clank of his armor, the guard pointed over her shoulder. "Master Link is out on the northern balcony with Master Revali."  
The all-too-familiar pang of jealousy wracked her heart, but once more she pushed it away.  
_He's happier with him._  
She thanked the guard and began to make her way to the northern balcony. She felt kind of awful for interrupting their moment together, which were always so few and far between. But this was important, and she knew it would be a long time before she had the courage to attempt it again.

The double doors to the balcony appeared within her sights. And through them, she could hear voices...  
Revali's voice, loud and still with an undertone that told of his youth.  
And, another voice too...  
Link's voice. One she had only heard a couple words of through stolen snippets.  
He was crying, she realized.  
Guilt slammed _hard_ into her chest. It made her legs weak and her thoughts muddled. _I shouldn't be here I shouldn't be here I shouldn't-_  
_Stop it._

It made her feel like the most lowly person in Hyrule, but it was her one chance. A chance she actually had the power to take. She wasn't going to give that up.

Guilt pulled at her legs, but she ignored it. In one swift motion, she pressed her ear against the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Zelda sure does have a lot of deep-seated problems, huh? It'll be up to you to decide if she's righteous in them...
> 
> Keep in mind I do not condole any of what Zelda is doing! Its just how I think she should act given the circumstances!! Please never do this in real life!!!


	4. Flight

"I just think she feels like I hate her. How can I tell her that's not true if I can't even tell her what the weather's like?"

"I know it's hard. I asked Urbosa to speak with her, but I am unsure as to how the exchange went."

"Do you think she would even listen to her? I'm not dumb. I can see the hurt in her eyes ehen she comes back from her prayers crying and I can tell her nothing. I would only ever make the situtaion worse, I know."

"Link, time and time again I have told you that your silence only hurts her more! Let me speak to the king again, I'm sure this time I can-"

"No. It would be pointless. Please, just show me a way I can tell her I care for her so she'll stop hating me!"

"Link! Zelda does _not_ hate you!"

_I could never._

"I'm sure she blames the king for this, not you."

_Do I?_

"Let me speak to her father again. I'm sure I can get him to retract the order-"

"Revali, I keep telling you that's not it! Zelda-"

"No! Stop thinking about Zelda for once! You believing that bullshit the king spewed out is the problem here!"

"Revali, stop. I just want her to know that I don't hate her. She's like a sister to me! And I'd only ever do this to her because she'll never activate her powers if I don't."

_A sister..._

There was a sigh from the other side of the door, deep and resigned.

"Fine. I... the other Champions and myself can speak to her. If it is what you want, I can tell her what you can't."

 _Thank you._  
"Thank you."

"Though, next time, Link, please come to me sooner. You'll only ever solve these problems if you communicate, okay?"

"Okay."

A pause.

"I love you."

"I love you too. Now let's get you into bed. Or perhaps a shower. I don't know _how_ you get this messy, but-"

The doorknob turned, and panic seized her body. There was no time to flee. The door was already opening, a feathered head emerging, turning, eyes widening...

"What. The hell. Are _you_ doing here?"

The words held so much venom that she physically flinched. Revali's gaze carved into her, and the hurt that was suddenly emanating from Link was palpable.  
This wasnt supposed to happen. This was _never_ supposed to happen. She had only wanted to _know-_  
Zelda looked into Link's eyes. There was shock there, and pain. But also a twisted kind of fear, like a dog about to be whipped.

Feathers swiped across her face. "Well, _princess?_ " Revali snarled. "Have you no excuse for dropping in on a _private_ conversation?"  
He took a step closer.  
"Did you think, 'oh! Link and Revali are talking about me? Oh, they're pouring out their deepest secrets to each other? Well, I'm sure they wouldn't mind if I just dropped in for a bit!'"  
She was frozen, just as Link was. Words failed her.  
"Do you even speak Hylian, _princess_?" Another step closer- "Is that why you spontaneously decided that it was in some realm okay to listen in on someone's most personal feelings? _Well?_ "  
Still, she was silent. Her throat felt as if it was filled with lead, choking her more with every passing second.  
Revali stepped forward once more, bringing him close enough that his features blurred before her eyes.  
"Have you truly nothing to say?" He hissed. "Fine then. Leave!" Revali straightened and put a wing on Link's shoulder. "Leave and don't bother coming back! We do not need a princess that does not even care for her knight! _LEAVE!_ "

Revali sceamed the last word, and she listened. Zelda fled through the castle until she reached her room once more. Revali's fury echoed through her mind, and Link's silent fear kept her sleepless for the rest of the night.

***

When Link came in for duty later that day, his face told nothing. Not once did he look at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is mostly dialogue, I just think it flows better that way imo  
> Additionally, I hope the interactions sound realistic. I spent a lot of time perfecting them o.O


	5. Hurt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It's not your fault,"

Crushing. That's how he would describe it. The crushing feeling of his failure. He had heard, though barely seen, Revali scream his beak off at Zelda. How he'd told her to leave and never come back. How they didn't need a failure.  
They didn't need a failure...

His breath came in short, uneven gasps. Revali's calming wing around his shoulder did nothing to quell him. It was too hot, too stuffy. In a jerk of action, he threw the wing off. The concern emanating from the Rito could be cut with a knife, but it was to no effect.  
"Link, it is not your fault," he assured. "This mess is entirely on Zelda."  
Revali stirred so that he was facing Link. "If there is anything I can do...." -He reached out a wing as if to put it on Link's shoulder, but stopped at the last second- "Then please tell me, okay?"

Without hesitation, Link met Revali's eyes. "Leave," he said.  
Revali flinched. "What?"  
"Leave. _Please."_  
"I... okay."

Revali was hurt by it. Link saw it in his eyes as he stood and left his quarters. But he didn't care in that moment. He needed to be alone.  
He needed to be prepared to face the one he'd failed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IM SORRY ITS SO SHORT I KNOW but I really wanted to update this! So! Here!!


End file.
